Q: True or False: Pregnant women who eat lots of fish are more likely to have children with ADHD?

A: True. Initial research suggests that pregnant women who eat lots of fish – especially tuna, swordfish and other fish with high mercury levels are more likely to have children with ADHD. Researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health tracked 788 Massachusetts children between 1993 and 1998. Then they had the children’s mothers keep food diaries while they were pregnant so they could see how much fish the women ate. They took hair samples from them after they gave birth so they could test their mercury levels.

Eight years later, they asked the children’s teachers if the kids exhibited ADHD-like symptoms, such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattentiveness. The researchers concluded that the women who had the most mercury in their hair were 60% more likely to have a child who exhibited ADHD-like behavior.

Have reading time become a part of the family’s daily routine. The daily routine includes taking a shower, brushing your teeth, and eating dinner. Why not build reading time into the daily schedule so it is a daily routine?

The reason children on the autism spectrum do not enjoy pretend play is based on how their brains see the world. Pretend play requires putting yourself in someone’s shoes and talking and acting as if you were another person. Children with autism spectrum disorders usually struggle with the ability to see outside of themselves.

Watch out for children do not show an interest in pretend play (such as feeding a baby doll) by about age 2. That is a potential sign of an autism spectrum disorder. Kids with autism tend to pick games that engage their senses and avoid games that ask them to pretend, a new study finds. Researchers found that children with autism were naturally drawn to activities that get them moving or allow them to watch moving objects. On the other hand, arts and crafts, and games that required pretending were the least popular with these same children.

Why do you think this is true? If you think you know the answer, email us your guess. Also check back here tomorrow for the fascinating explanation.

Many more children have mental problems then you would think. According to a finding published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 children or 20% between the ages of 3 and 17 have some form of mental disorder. Here are some interesting statistics showing just how common the top 5 mental disorders are:

ADHD: 6.8% or 1 in 14

Behavioral or Conduct Problems: 3.5% or 1 in 28

Anxiety: 3% or 1 in 33

Depression: 2.1% or 1 in 50

Autism Spectrum Disorders: 1.1% or 1 in 100

If your child suffers from any mental disorder, seek out help right away. Most childhood mental health problems can be improved by giving them the support they need and acting quickly if there is a sign of a problem.

Up to half of the people with tuberous sclerosis develop autism and the hope is that any treatment that works well against tuberous sclerosis might also benefit others on the autism spectrum. Tuberous sclerosis is caused by one of several mutations in genes that regulate cell growth and strikes about 1 in 6,000 newborns. People with it commonly develop tumors, autism, and/or epilepsy. The hope is that studying this disease may provide new insights into autism.

There is potentially new hope for those with autism and Asperger’s. Researchers are now studying an old drug called rapamycin in clinical trials for a rare genetic condition called tuberous sclerosis complex. This study is drawing attention because the disease often leads to autism. Some have been reported mental advances and dramatic gains from this drug trial.

Check back tomorrow for more on the tuberous sclerosis – autism/Asperger’s connection.